Oil well pumping apparatus

ABSTRACT

A deep well pumping device including a vertically reciprocating pump piston supporting a pulley on a horizontal axis with a flexible band-like tension member anchored at one end, extending over the pulley and thence downwardly to connect to the polish rod in vertical alignment with said rod, the pumping apparatus being hydraulically reciprocated in a circuit including a pump and reversing valve with limit switches activated by the reciprocating member at its limits of movement to reverse the valve; and piston air pressure means surrounding the reciprocating member and connected thereto to cushion the return stroke thereof; the apparatus being mounted on a base and movable from an upright operative position to a horizontal collapsed position without affecting the relationship of the various operating parts.

United States Patent [191 James [4 1 Jan. 1, 1974 01L WELL PUMPING APPARATUS [22] Filed: June 9, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 151,276

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1950 Shaffer 60/52 F] 8/195] Smith 60/52 F] 2,572,748 10/1951 Noll et al..... 60/52 F] 2,595,307 5/1952 Selberg 60/52 F] 2,504,218 4/1950 Noll et al. 60/52 PJ I Primary Examiner-Edgar W. Geoghegan Att0rneyAllan D. Mockabee 5 7 ABSTRACT A deep well pumping device including a vertically reciprocating pump piston supporting a pulley on a horizontal axis with a flexible band-like tension member anchored at one end, extending over the pulley and thence downwardly to connect to the polish rod in vertical alignment with said rod, the pumping apparatus being hydraulically reciprocated in a circuit including a pump and reversing valve with limit switches activated by the reciprocating member at its limits of movement to reverse the valve; and piston air pressure means surrounding the reciprocating member and connected thereto to cushion the return stroke thereof; the apparatus being mounted on a base and movable from an upright operative position to a horizontal collapsed position without affecting the relationship of the various operating parts.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEUJAH M974 7 3382.117 sum ear 2 82 INVENTOR 05627 6. JA M65 01L WELL PUMPING APPARATUS This invention relates to a pump and primarily to pumping apparatus fordeep well use, such as in connection with the vertically reciprocating pump rods of oil well pumps. Conventional oil well pumps are of the walking beam type which includes an elongated generally horizontal beam pivotally supported intermediate its ends and with a larger counterweight on one end to more or less balance the weight of the pump rod which may extend thousands of feet into the well, and as a result be quite heavy. In some cases, the walking beam type of pumping apparatus has its counterweight on the shaft of the prime mover.

The present invention utilizes means for vertically reciprocating the pump rod which is compactin structure and eliminates the heavy and cumbersome walking beam type of construction.

Another object is the provision of pump actuating means wherein the power stroke is in a straight line parallel to that of the pump rodand power is delivered to the pump rod in direct alignment therewith.

A further object is to provide pump actuating apparatus in the form of a hydraulic piston and-cylinder as sembly in a hydraulic circuit including a reversing valve and limit switches for reversing said valve.

A further object is to provide pumping apparatus including a hydraulic piston and cylinderunit in conjunction with pressure air cushioning means for the down stroke ofthe pump rod, and wherein the pressure of the air cushioning means is utilized to assist in the upward working stroke of the pump actuating means and the liquid-loaded pump piston at the bottom of the pump rod.

The above and other objects will more fully appear from the following description in connection'with the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the invention with portions thereof shown-in alternate positions in full and'broken lines; 40

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view with part of the flat tension member broken away;

FIG. 3 is an enlargedvertical sectional view through a portion of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2 and showing the controls therefor in diagrammatic form.

There is illustrated an elongated base 4 made up of channels 6 suitably connected by cross members 8. A vertical air cylinder 10 extends upwardly from one end of the base 4. It is provided with brackets 12 suitably pivotally connected tothe base 4 at 14. The cylinder 10 also has brackets 16 which may rest upon one of the cross members 8. One of the brackets 12' is connected at 18 to piston rod 20 working in a suitable hydraulic cylinder 22 pivotally connected at 23 to a cross member 8, so that the brackets 12 and the cylinder 10 to which they are connected, can be tilted'or swung from the full line upright position of FIG. 1 to a horizontal broken line position indicated at 24 with the cylinder 10 resting upon a suitable saddle 26 suitably supported 60 by the frame 4. i;

As shown in FIG. 3, the air cylinder 10 is closed at its bottom by a cylinder head 28 which also supports an inwardly concentric hydraulic cylinder 30 whose lower end is closed by the cylinder head 28 and whose upper end is closed by a head 32 through which slidably extends a piston rod 34 having at its lower end a hydraulic piston 36. The piston rod 34 at its upper end connects with a head 38 upon which is mounted a pulley member 40 having a horizontal pin 42 which rotatably supports a pulley wheel 44, the latter having a flat surface 46, as shown in FIG. 2.

The air cylinder 10 is closed at its upper end by a head 46 having a suitable clamp unit 48 formed thereon and to which is anchored one end of a flexible tension member in the form of a flat metal tape 50. This tape or tension member extends upwardly over the pulley wheel 44 and thence downwardly with its upper end connected by a suitable connector 52 to the upper end of a polish rod 54 which forms the upper section of the pump rod spring which extends down in the well to a suitable piston-pump, such as is well known in the art.

The upper head 46 of the air cylinder 10 supports a guide sleeve 56 in which is slidably supported a hollow air piston 58. This air piston extends downwardly about the piston rod 34 and its cylinder 30. The hollow air piston 58 is secured and sealed to the head 38 on the upper end ofthe piston rod 34. In the downward position of the piston rod 34, the hollow piston 58 terminates above the bottom head 28 of the air cylinder 10. A suitable air compressor 60 supplies pressure air through a conduit 62 to the interior of the air cylinder 18.

A spool valve 64 is shown with a housing 66 having ports 68, 70' and 72 at one side thereof. Within the housing 66 is a spool 74 having flanges 76, 78 and 80. The port 68, in the position shown, lies between flanges 76and 78, port 70 lies between flanges 78 and 80 and port 72 lies to the right of the end flange 80.

The other side of the housing 66 is provided with ports 82 and 84. Port 82 lies between spool flanges 76 and 78, and port 84 lies betweenflanges 78 and 80. Port 82 is connected by conduit 86 to the upper end of the hydraulic cylinder 30 on the upper side of the piston 36. Port 84 is connected by conduit 88 to the lower end of cylinder 30 and of course on the lower side of the piston 36.

In the position of the spool 74 illustrated in FIG. 3, a pump 90 is connected by a conduit 92 to the spool valve port 70 so that liquid pumped therethrough by the pump will flow through the housing between flanges 78 and 80 and port 84 through the conduit 88 to the lower part of cylinder 30 to force the piston 36 upwardly.

The spool 74 has a pair of bores 94 and 96 extending inwardly from each end thereof. Extending into these bores are tubes 98 and 100. A conduit 102 from pump 90 is shown providing flow through a two position four way valve 104 and thence through a conduit 106 to the spool valve tube toexert pressure to the left in the bore 96. Liquid expelled to the left of the spool flange 76 during movement of the spool to the left travels through a conduit 108, to the reservoir 110, which is the reservoir from which liquid is pumped by the pump 90.

When the four way valve 104 is reversed in position, flow will be reversed to the tube 98 through conduit 112 causing the spool to move to the right, and liquid exhausted from the right side to the right spool flange 80 will travel through a conduit 112 to the reservoir 110.

It is desired that in conduits 106 and 112 there be provided flow control devices 116.

Actuation of the two position four way valve 104 is accomplished by means of solenoids 118 and 120.

These solenoids are shown connected respectively to contacts 122 and 124 in a pressure responsive switch 126. This switch is of conventional structure and its interior mechanism is not shown. However, there is shown a pressure tube 128 leading from the pressure responsive switch 126 to the interior of the air cylinder 10. As the air valve indicator needle 130 moves in response to changes in pressure in cylinder by reason of reciprocating movement of the hollow air piston 58, the needle will move into contact with one or the other of the contacts 122 and 124 to reverse the actuation of the valve 104 and the spool valve 64.

When the valve 104 has been reversed and the needle 130 moves from either of the contacts 122 or 124, the pump 90 will continue pumping liquid until the needle 130 reaches the opposite of the two contacts 122 and 124 to energize the opposite solenoid 118 or 120 and reverse the four way valve 104 and the spool valve 64.

It should be noted that when the cylinder 10 is in its lowered horizontal position, as shown in broken lines in FIG. 1, it and its supporting base 4 can readily be transported to the well where it is intended for use. The entire mechanism can be completely built and transported to the site, whereas, pumpers of the walking beam type, because of their size and configuration, must be shipped to the place of use in a more or less knocked-down condition and erected on the site. All that is required of my pumping apparatus is that the cylinder 10 be swung upwardly to the full line position of FIG. 1 and it is ready for connection with the polisher rod 54. I

lt should also be noted that when the pump in the hole requires servicing, access may be had to it merely by swinging the pumping mechanism of my invention down to the horizontal position shown in FIG. 1 so that the area at the top of the well pipe is free of obstructron.

It should of course be understood that various changes can be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

1 claim:

1. Pumping apparatus for oil and other wells having high loads on their pump rods, wherein the improvement comprises: a reciprocating member having a vertical stroke of a given length, a hydraulic piston for reciprocating said member, a pulley on a horizontal axis supported by said reciprocating member for vertical stroke movement therewith and for rotation relative thereto, said pulley having a load bearing peripheral portion laterally offset from the remainder of the apparatus, and an elongated flexible tension member having a stationary anchor at one end, said tension member extending over the pulley, thence downwardly a distance greater then said given stroke length and having means for connecting its other end to a vertically reciprocating pump rod with the tension member aligned with the pump rod between said pump rod and the point of contact between the tension member and said pulley, and a hollow air piston and a flow connected surrounding air cylinder both concentric to said hydraulic piston and providing an air cushion for said hydraulic piston on its downward stroke, the hollow piston being mechanically connected to and movable with said reciprocating member.

2. The structure in claim 1, and said tension member comprising an elongated flat flexible band, said pulley having a transversely flat band-engaging circumferential portion, and said band lying in planes parallel to the rotational axis of said pulley.

3. The structure in claim 1, and said reciprocating member including a housing comprising said air cylinder, a base for said housing, a pivotal connection between the base and housing permitting the latter and the reciprocating member to swing from a nonoperating horizontal position closely above the base to an upright operating position, said pivotal connection having a pivotal axis parallel to that of said pulley.

4. The structure in claim 1, and said reciprocating member including a normally vertical cylinder, a piston movable in said cylinder in a plane parallel to said tension member and connected to said pulley to raise and lower the pulley, said hydraulic system including a pump connected to said cylinder to move said piston, a reversing valve in said hydraulic system, limit means alternately responsive to predetermined opposite limits of movement of said piston, and means actuated by pressure variations in said air piston and said cylinder for operating said reversing valve.

5. The structure in claim 4, and said air cylinder having a closed bottom end and having an opening in its upper end, said hollow air piston being located in said air cylinder opening and having its interior in flow communication with the interior of said air cylinder, said hollow air piston lying about said normally vertical cylinder and having a closed upper end operatively associated with said first mentioned piston for vertical movement therewith. 

1. Pumping apparatus for oil and other wells having high loads on their pump rods, wherein the improvement comprises: a reciprocating member having a vertical stroke of a given length, a hydraulic piston for reciprocating said member, a pulley on a horizontal axis supported by said reciprocating member for vertical stroke movement therewith and for rotation relative thereto, said pulley having a load bearing peripheral portion laterally offset from the remainder of the apparatus, and an elongated flexible tension member having a stationary anchor at one end, said tension member extending over the pulley, thence downwardly a distance greater then said given stroke length and having means for connecting its other end to a vertically reciprocating pump rod with the tension member aligned with the pump rod between said pump rod and the point of contact between the tension member and said pulley, and a hollow air piston and a flow connected surrounding air cylinder both concentric to said hydraulic piston and providing an air cushion for said hydraulic piston on its downward stroke, the hollow piston being mechanically connected to and movable with said reciprocating member.
 2. The structure in claim 1, and said tension member comprising an elongated flat flexible band, said pulley having a transversely flat band-engaging circumferential portion, and said band lying in planes parallel to the rotational axis of said pulley.
 3. The structure in claim 1, and said reciprocating member including a housing comprising said air cylinder, a base for said housing, a pivotal connection between the base and housing permitting the latter and the reciprocating member to swing from a non-operating horizontal position closely above the base to an upright operating position, said pivotal connection having a pivotal axis parallel to that of said pulley.
 4. The structure in claim 1, and said reciprOcating member including a normally vertical cylinder, a piston movable in said cylinder in a plane parallel to said tension member and connected to said pulley to raise and lower the pulley, said hydraulic system including a pump connected to said cylinder to move said piston, a reversing valve in said hydraulic system, limit means alternately responsive to predetermined opposite limits of movement of said piston, and means actuated by pressure variations in said air piston and said cylinder for operating said reversing valve.
 5. The structure in claim 4, and said air cylinder having a closed bottom end and having an opening in its upper end, said hollow air piston being located in said air cylinder opening and having its interior in flow communication with the interior of said air cylinder, said hollow air piston lying about said normally vertical cylinder and having a closed upper end operatively associated with said first mentioned piston for vertical movement therewith. 